Meera Sanyal, banker-turned-politician, died on Friday evening in Mumbai after a two-year battle with cancer. She was 57.

“I am deeply saddened to hear about the passing away of Meera Sanyal. The country has lost a sharp economic brain and a gentle soul. May she rest in peace. You will always remain in our hearts,” tweeted Manish Sisodia, Delhi deputy chief minister and AAP leader. A former chief executive officer of Royal Bank of Scotland, Sanyal had left her job in 2009 to join politics. She unsuccessfully contested the 2009 Lok Sabha polls as an Independent. Later she joined the India Against Corruption movement.

When Arvind Kejriwal formed the AAP she joined the party and contested the 2014 Lok Sabha polls from the Mumbai South constituency and lost. She was a member of the AAP’s economic policy wing and the party’s national executive.

“Extremely sad to hear this. No words to express,” tweeted Kejriwal. Sanyal’s book on demonetisation and its impact on India’s economy, The Big Reverse, was published two months ago. Sanyal had been a critic of the economic policies of the Modi government and the divisive politics of the Sangh parivar.

A prayer meeting will be held at Jai Hind College on January 20.